1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to hinges, and more particularly, to a tip out hinge which will permit a storage container located within a cabinet to be tipped forward out of the cabinet to an open position, remain in the open condition until urged backwardly to the fully closed position.
2. Background of the Prior Art
It has become essential to utilize all available space in kitchens, bathrooms, closets and other storage areas in an efficient manner to maximize storage capacity and convenience. Such space savers include, for example, rotating “Lazy Susan” structures designed to utilize the dead space in corners of kitchen cabinets.
Another frequently under utilized storage area in a kitchen or bathroom is the area behind a false front. A conventional drawer cannot be used to provide storage for this area because of the close proximity of a sink or bin. The usual way of solving this problem is to attach a storage tray to the inside of the false front to allow the false front to be tipped forward, thereby providing access to the area behind the false front. Rev-A-Shelf, Inc. located in Jeffersontown, Ky. designed and marketed a tilt out hinge for use on a storage compartment within a cabinet that utilized a base plate, a pair of pivot bars, a bracket connected to the pivot bars, and a spring secured between the base plate and one of the pivot bars. The hinge functioned quite properly except that the spring configuration did not assist in the operation of the hinge to the extent desired. A more decisive component for controlling the opening and closing operations for the storage container was needed, and it is to this need that the present invention is directed.
In particular, it is the object of the present invention to provide a tip out hinge for use with a storage container within a cabinet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tip out hinge which will attach to a false front for the opening and closing of a false front.
Still another object of the present invention to provide a tip out hinge that has a decisive spring component that will positively and distinctly control operation of the false front in the closed-to-open and open-to-closed positions.
Thus there has been outlined the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In that respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its arrangement of the components set forth in the following description and illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting in any respect. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of this development. It is important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent methods and products resulting therefrom that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The application is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by its claims, nor to limit its scope in any way.
Thus, the objectives of the invention set forth above, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are noted with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific results obtained by its use, reference should be made to the following detailed specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.
The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. They illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.